MN 26. Ariyapariyesanasuttaṁ
The Discourse about the Noble Search
[8. Deciding Who to Teach]
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Kassa nu kho ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ Dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ?
‘To whom should I first teach the Dhamma?
Ko imaṁ Dhammaṁ khippam-eva ājānissatī?’ ti
Who will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly?’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Ayaṁ kho Āḷāro Kālāmo paṇḍito viyatto BJT:
‘This Āḷāra Kālāma is wise, learned, intelligent,
dīgharattaṁ apparajakkhajātiko.
for a long time he has been one with little dust on his eyes.
Yaṁ nūnāhaṁ Āḷārassa Kālāmassa paṭhamaṁ Dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ?
Now what if I first teach the Dhamma to Āḷāra Kālāma?
So imaṁ Dhammaṁ khippam-eva ājānissatī.’ ti
He will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly.’
Atha kho maṁ, bhikkhave, devatā upasaṅkamitvā etad-avoca: PTS:
Then a god, monks, having approached, said this to me:
“Sattāhakālaṅkato Bhante Āḷāro Kālāmo,” ti
“Āḷāra Kālāma died seven days ago, reverend Sir,”
ñāṇañ-ca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi:
and to me knowledge and insight arose:
“Sattāhakālaṅkato Āḷāro Kālāmo.” ti
“Āḷāra Kālāma died seven days ago.”
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Mahājāniyo kho Āḷāro Kālāmo,
‘Āḷāra Kālāma had great understanding,
sace hi so imaṁ Dhammaṁ suṇeyya khippam-eva ājāneyyā.’ ti
if he had heard this Dhamma he would have understood it quickly.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Kassa nu kho ahaṁ RTE omits
‘To whom should I first teach the Dhamma?
Ko imaṁ Dhammaṁ khippam-eva ājānissatī?’ ti
Who will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly?’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Ayaṁ kho Uddako Rāmaputto paṇḍito viyatto medhāvī,
‘This Uddaka Rāmaputta is wise, learned, intelligent,
dīgharattaṁ apparajakkhajātiko.
for a long time he has been one with little dust on his eyes.
Yaṁ nūnāhaṁ Uddakassa Rāmaputtassa paṭhamaṁ Dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ?
Now, what if I first teach the Dhamma to Uddaka Rāmaputta?
So imaṁ Dhammaṁ khippam-eva ājānissatī.’ ti
He will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly.’
Atha kho maṁ, bhikkhave, devatā upasaṅkamitvā etad-avoca: PTS:
Then, monks, a god having approached, said this to me:
“Abhidosakālaṅkato Bhante Uddako Rāmaputto,” ti
“Uddaka Rāmaputta died yesterday evening, reverend Sir,”
ñāṇañ-ca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi:
and to me knowledge and insight arose:
“Abhidosakālaṅkato Uddako Rāmaputto.” ti
“Uddaka Rāmaputta died yesterday evening.”
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Mahājāniyo kho Uddako Rāmaputto,
‘Uddaka Rāmaputta had great understanding,
sace hi so imaṁ Dhammaṁ suṇeyya khippam-eva ājāneyyā.’ ti
if he had heard this Dhamma he would have understood it quickly.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Kassa nu kho ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ Dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ?
‘To whom should I first teach the Dhamma?
Ko imaṁ Dhammaṁ khippam-eva ājānissatī?’ ti
Who will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly?’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Bahūkārā kho me pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū,
‘The group-of-five monks were very helpful to me,
ye maṁ padhānapahitattaṁ upaṭṭhahiṁsu.
they attended on me when I was striving resolutely.
Yaṁ nūnāhaṁ pañcavaggiyānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭhamaṁ Dhammaṁ deseyyan?’-ti
Now, what if I first teach the Dhamma to the group-of-five monks?’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etad-ahosi:
Then, monks, this occurred to me:
‘Kahaṁ nu kho etarahi pañcavaggiyā bhikkhū viharantī?’ ti
‘Where are the group-of-five monks dwelling right now?’
Addasaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave,
I saw with the divine eye, monks,
dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena,
which is purified and surpasses that of (normal) men,
pañcavaggiye bhikkhū Bārāṇasiyaṁ viharante Isipatane Migadāye.
that the group-of-five monks were dwelling near Bārāṇasī, in the Deer Park at Isipatana.